Famed Arecibo telescope, on the brink of collapse, will be dismantled
Update 12/4/20 : Video of the moment the Arecibo Secondary collapses into the Dish
Update 12/1/20 : Arecibo’s secondary has crashed into the dish permanently shutting down any means of repair
The Arecibo telescope’s long and productive life has come to an end. The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today it will decommission the iconic radio telescope in Puerto Rico following two cable breaks in recent months that have brought the structure to near collapse. The 57-year-old observatory, a survivor of numerous hurricanes and earthquakes, is now in such a fragile state that attempting repairs would put staff and workers in danger.
Jason Matter
